


To Have a Home

by JuniorWoofles



Category: Game of Thrones (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Once Upon a Time (TV), Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Established Relationship, F/F, F/M, Ficlet Collection, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Kid Fic, M/M, Making Out, Pining, Reflection, Sharing Clothes, Yule Ball
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-01
Updated: 2016-12-29
Packaged: 2018-08-12 09:44:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7929955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JuniorWoofles/pseuds/JuniorWoofles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Collection of Hogwarts drabbles for various ships/fandoms.</p><p> </p><p>UPDATE: 3/11: Captain Swan kidfic<br/>10/11 Sansaery kisses<br/>17/11 Brojen  study sessions<br/>29/12 Peggy/Howard Yule Ball 3/3</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chulu: You Look Better in Gold Anyway

**Author's Note:**

> Individual tags and pairings at the start of each chapter. I am accepting prompts for further ideas.
> 
> Title from AVPS

It was desperately cold. The winds were bitter as they cut across Sulu’s face as he walked out to Hogsmeade. If he didn’t need to buy things for holiday presents he would have stayed in the cosy common room, doing the Transfiguration homework that was due soon.

He wrapped himself further into his scarf and shoved his hands into his pockets and kept walking out towards the village. Rand and Gaila were with him, both shivering in the cold. Rand had a huge hat on that had caused her hair to set in a small mound on top of her head with the hat over the top. Gaila was trying to smile despite the cold until Sulu couldn’t work out if her face was frozen.

“Gaila, where’s your gloves?” he asked as he noticed she kept wringing and clasping her fingers.

“I left them in the common room.  I put them down for a second to put my scarf on and then you were ready and I forgot.”

“Gaila, how can you forget your gloves?” Rand gasped.

“I don’t know. I was looking forward to warm Butterbeer and I wasn’t thinking straight.”

“Girl, we live right next to the kitchens. If you’re desperate for Butterbeer all you have to do is go and ask.”

“But you know that I don’t want to feel like I’m getting special treatment and –“

Sensing another one of the same arguments that he’d heard so many times, Sulu took his gloves off and thrust them at Gaila. “Here, take mine.”

 “But ‘Karu, dear, your hands will get cold.”

“Janice won’t complain about my lack of gloves as she does with you. Just take them.”

She took them and quickly slipped them on. “My hero,” she trilled. “What would my poor hands do without you?”

“Freeze,” Janice said darkly, but without any real malice.

Sulu made to move to shove his hands even deeper into his cloak but Gaila took one of his hands in her gloved one. “This is as close to sharing as we’re going to get with gloves.”

Janice took his other hand and smiled at him and they walked hand in hand until they got to the Three Broomsticks where they gratefully entered the warmth.

“Oh, look, Carol’s got a table for us already,” Janice said happily as she began to unwind her scarf. Sulu grinned at Gaila and they all started weaving towards the booth at the back of the establishment.

“We figured you’d be here right about now so we ordered for you so you’d have less of a wait,” Carol said as she budged up closer to Bones to make room for Gaila. Sulu caught Bones’ eye and smirked when he saw how the Ravenclaw was blushing until Bones scowled at him. When Sulu sat down Carol smile at him, eyes twinkling and Sulu laughed until Bones blushed more visibly.

“Okay, I am back, I’m back, and I haff ze drinks.”

“Oh Chekov, thank you sweetheart,” Carol said as she made room on the table for the younger boy to put the hot drinks for the Hufflepuffs on the table.

He managed to get three of the drinks on the table and Gaila smiled widely as she got the fourth one from his hand. “Come to momma you little warm piece of joy.” Everyone laughed at her antics as she began drinking deeply and they all gratefully picked up their mugs.

“Can you move over please?” Chekov asked Sulu as he tried to move a chair over to their crowded little table.

“Uh yeah, sure,” he said as he moved his chair over enough to fit in another one. No one said anything about the fourth year’s presence anymore; he’d been hanging around with seventh years for long enough that it would almost be weird if he didn’t. Sulu could admit to himself secretly, and to Gaila the one time they got drunk on smuggled Firewhiskey, that he loved having the kid around to round their group off by being ridiculously smart and extremely adorable.  Not that he was going to say that out loud to anyone while sober; he didn’t want to seem like a creep for holding a candle for a fourth year.

They sat in the Three Broomsticks for as long as they could, huddled around with warm drinks and friends. It was warming them all up, both on the inside and out, to have a break from studying to be together and just talk and laugh. If Sulu laughed too hard at Chekov’s jokes or stared for a second too long then that was his secret to keep. Or apparently for everyone to know if Carol’s meaningful glances were indicating anything.

Eventually they’d drained all their mugs and had to get to the shops before they ran out of time. Gaila and Rand almost ran off to Honeydukes as soon as they were out in the street. Carol grabbed Bones’ hand and went after them, laughing into the wind.

Sulu laughed at his friends and wondered if they’d ever grow up. Maybe Gaila would always act just a little more childish than others but that was okay by him. Sulu turned round and realised he was alone with Chekov and his laugh died in his throat. He wondered if his friends had run off intentionally to leave him like this and knowing them they had. Carol was the perfect Ravenclaw when it came to scheming, Gaila wanted everyone to be happy and in love and Rand was the one to round off plans with the little details and ensure it was kept a secret.  Those damn friends of his.

“Do you vant to go anyvhere?” Chekov asked. He was completely unaware of Sulu’s current mental breakdown at being left alone with the Ravenclaw.

“Uh, yeah, do you have anywhere that you want to go?”

“No. I’ll just follow you.” Sulu smiled weakly back at him and they started walking.

They walked along the street, going into shops as needed and picking up gifts and sweets as they went. They managed to not bump into any of their friends but Sulu knew it was probably intentional. He didn’t know whether he was going to yell at them or hug them when he caught back.

The weather hadn’t changed in the time they’d been at the Three Broomsticks but the village provided a little bit of shelter from the wind and the shops provided enough warmth that Sulu’s fingers weren’t turning to icicles without his gloves. It was when they started moving out towards the main road that led back to the castle that Sulu felt the chill of the bracing wind blowing through them. He glanced over to look at Chekov and had to look away quickly when he saw how adorable the boy looked with pink tinged ears half-hidden by his curls.

“Aren’t you cold?” he asked when he saw that Chekov wasn’t wearing gloves, a hat or a scarf.

“Nonsense. I vas born in Russia. I don’t get cold.”

Sulu shook his head at the stubbornness. Chekov may be insisting that he wasn’t cold but the physical evidence was contradicting him. “Yes you are. I’d give you my gloves by I already gave those to Gaila. Just take my scarf.”

“But then you would be cold.”

“Better me than you. I’m already without gloves and besides, we’re nearly back. Just take it.”

Sulu looked at Chekov until he got the message that he could be just as stubborn if he felt like it. “Fine.”

Sulu smiled in triumph and unwound his scarf. He realised he hadn’t thought this through entirely when he was stood right in front of Chekov, wrapping him in his gold and black scarf.

“Uh, it looks good,” he said lamely as he stepped back.

“Iz it not weird that it iz not blue?” Chekov asked as he played with one of the yellow tiers.

“Nah. Gold suits you better anyway.” They both froze. “Uh, I mean that, um…”

“That you vished to compliment me.”

Sulu breathed out, watching the icy breath climb up into the sky. “Yeah.” Wow, this was embarrassing, he thought as he decided he wasn’t going to yell at Carol as much as hide from her.

“Zank you. But I feel bad that you haff to be cold now because Gaila has your gloves.” Sulu looked at him in wonder, a small smile forming on his face that grew into a grin when Chekov took his hand into his.

“Better?”

“Definitely.”

“I bet I can do one better.” Chekov said as he began unwinding the Hufflepuff scarf from around him. Before Sulu could protest about it, he began to adjust it so that it was wrapped around both of them.

“Yeah, you’re right. This is much better than before.”

They started walking back to the castle and suddenly it didn’t feel even half as cold as it had before.


	2. Stucky make outs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slytherin! Bucky sneaks into the Gryffindor tower to see his boyfriend. Too bad his boyfriend is busy with homework

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've never written a serious kissing scene before so this is probably still a bit tame

“Hey, sweetheart,” Bucky said as he entered the tower and sprawled out on the sofa Steve was on.

“Who let you in?” Steve grumbled, staring intently at the parchment in front of him.

“What no, ‘Oh my dearest Bucky thank you for coming to rescue me from my tedious Charms homework?’”

“How about, ‘Dearest, Bucky leave me alone and stop pestering me so I can do my damn homework?’”

“But Stevie,” Bucky whined.

“No. And stop sneaking into the tower.”

“I don’t know what you’re on about.”

“Someone makes sure you always have the password for the tower and I need them to stop because it means I can’t study.”

“Again, I have no idea what you’re on about.”

“Buck, just let me finish this essay and then you can bother me after.”

“But I want to bother you now.”

“No Buck. I have to do well on this essay.”

“You will. Charms is one of your best subjects and Professor Erskine adores you. You need a break to save yourself from stressing over a near perfect essay.”

“But I have to finish it.”

“Stevie, how much more do you have to write? An inch? Two?”

“It isn’t perfect; I need to rewrite some of it to make it better.”

“Okay, that’s it.” Bucky said as he straddled his boyfriend despite the Gryffindor’s protests and took the quill out of his hand. “You need to start believing in yourself for a change.”

And with that said, Bucky leaned down and gently kissed his boyfriend. Steve melted under the gentle pressure and his arms rose from where they were awkwardly left at his sides to curl around Bucky. Bucky moved his hands so they were cupping Steve’s face and used the position to kiss Steve deeper. Steve moaned slightly and Bucky grinned into the kiss.

“You are a terrible boyfriend,” Steve managed to gasp out in between kisses.

“No I’m a great boyfriend. I’m helping,” Bucky replied as he kissed along Steve’s jawline.

“Oh you cunning Slytherin. You do realise that you charming me isn’t actually a part of my Charms homework?”

“Of course it is, Stevie. And you are doing exceptionally well in helping with this assignment. Though it might be better if you shut up a little.”

“Why don’t you make me,” Steve said, realising he might as well give in to his boyfriend’s ministrations.

Bucky made a quick noise of celebration before he started to kiss Steve again. His hands flexed possessively and his thumb skated over Steve’s cheekbone.  Steve pulled Bucky down so they were pressed even closer together. He was completely entranced in his own little world and had forgotten that they were in the middle of the Gryffindor common room making out like nobody’s business. He forgot he had discarded his Charms essay and how much he was stressing it make it perfect.  He forgot everything except the boy in his lap. The boy who wouldn’t let flights upon flights of magical staircases and a password protected door shield him from his boyfriend if he thought he was over working himself even a little. The Slytherin who would defy expectations and prejudices to come and protect his Gryffindor boy from anything: up to and including homework. Steve smiled into the kiss and considered how lucky he was to have such a doting boyfriend who would always take care of him.

“Mmm, I love you, you devious Slytherin.”

“And I love you my stupid, little Gryffindor.”

“Good. Now kiss me again.”

Bucky happily complied. After all, it was always his favourite assignment to be working on.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I only have a couple of ideas in the works so I would love some prompts. Up next is probably a three part Yule Bull fic with MCU characters (I have 2/3 of it already written and will hopefully upload the first part at some point next week).  
> Any issues with sorting come to me and I'll do a fic in the future with different sorting.
> 
> Kudos and comments make me so happy and motivate me to write! <3


	3. Captain Swan: Giant Squid Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First year, meetings

When she pulled him out of the lake coughing and spluttering she stood facing him with a look on her face that was a cross between concern and annoyance.

“What the hell was that?” she asked as the water pooled around her robes. The boy just blinked at her. “I just rescued you from the damn squid you could at least be grateful.” He blinked again before a huge shiver wrecked through his body.

“Oh dammit,” she muttered before picking her cloak up from where she’d thrown it on the ground and wrapped it around his still shivering form. “I’m sorry for yelling at you like that. You scared me.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “I thought I wouldn’t be able to get to you in time and the giant squid would get you or something and I’d have indirectly killed someone within a month of getting here and I’d get expelled and they’d send me away again.”

“Emma,” he started, feeling braver than he looked. “You’re amazing at Charms. No one would send you away because I fell in the lake.”

“I dove right in after you.” She smiled. “Besides, I couldn’t let the squid get to you.”

“You weren’t kidding about that?” he asked in shock.

“How haven’t you heard of it?” He shrugged in response.

“You called me Emma,” she said a minute later in small voice.

“That is your name right?”

“Yes. I’m just surprised you know it.”

“We have Charms together and you have pretty hair.” He blushed and she grinned.

“Now I feel bad for not knowing your name.”

“Killian Jones.”

“Killian Jones,” she repeated ad he smiled at her. “Well Killian Jones, we’d better go and put some dry clothes on before dinner.” Killian handed her back her robe and they set off towards the castle. They walked across the lawns and then the corridors in a warm silence that seemed at ends with the cold in their bones. 

When they reached the entrance to the Hufflepuff dormitories Emma smiled at Killian and it was so full of warmth that he momentarily forgot about his unintentional swim. “So, next time you want to catch of the Giant Squid I suggest you try the Slytherin common room before you try to drown yourself again.” With that said she gave him a cheeky wave and went back along the corridors. Her slowly drying tendrils of blonde hair curled down her back like tentacles in the water. Killian shivered again and went into the dormitory to get changed.  


	4. Sansaery: Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Established relationship, reflective

Sansa likes it when Margaery takes charge. When the Slytherin catches her off guard and pulls her in with her manicured nails tight around Sansa’s blue tie and crashes their lips together. She likes it when Margaery uses all the ambition that she’s famed for and uses it to come after her and reel her in until she has her catch. Sansa likes it when she’s bossy. When Margaery crowds into her personal space or pushes her up against stone walls or the panels of the greenhouse and kisses her for all she’s got. Sansa likes it when she lets Margaery claim her prize and kisses her fiercely with a smile against her lips that only Sansa knows about.

Margaery likes it when Sansa surprises her. When they’re randomly talking, or walking to class or studying in the library and she says something that she considers to be unremarkable and Sansa leans over and gives her a quick peck on her lips. Margaery likes it when Sansa’s kisses start off soft and then develop an aggressive edge so Sansa has her pale fingers wound in Margaery’s soft curls. Margaery likes it when Sansa presses feather light kisses against the side of her mouth before she loses herself in another book. Margaery likes it when Sansa is remarkable and gets so excited that she’ll press hard kisses to her mouth instead of her usual soft ones. Margaery likes it when Sansa is happy and kissing her makes her so happy that she’ll do whatever it takes to make sure they keep kissing forever. 


	5. Brojen: Blankets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brojen. Established relationship, study sessions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so excited for Fantastic Beasts in three hours.

They’d been studying in the common room around their usual table. It was a small table near the corner that was warmed by the fireplace without being too hot to study and had easy access for Bran. It had a small light on it so there work could easily be seen and there was usually at least one book left on the table. No one else really used that table anyway; it was meant to be a one person table but could accommodate two if they didn’t mind working so close together. Bran and Jojen didn’t. When they were in the swing of essay writing every single inch of the desk would be covered in notes from a least three different subjects in two different handwriting styles – one scribbly and the other a lot neater but smaller – and they would have to keep lifting papers up to find the notes they needed. 

It was a warm night in March. The trees were slowly becoming more green and colourful after their months of being bare and cold. The common room had been filled with students working on various assignments or playing games but the number had been dwindling as the time crept closer and closer towards the smaller hours of the night. Bran and Jojen had been working on essays due soon, thighs just about touching as they sat around their tiny table. Jojen was so caught up in writing his Potions essay that he hadn’t noticed Bran’s eyes were drooping and his writing had become a lot more sporadic until it just stopped. It wasn’t until he heard a small snore that he looked up and saw his boyfriend had fallen asleep in the middle of writing a Transfiguration essay. His head rolled back towards his shoulder and he still held his quill between limp fingers.

Jojen glanced up at the clock and, upon finding the time to be past midnight, decided to just call it a night. He only had one final point to make on his essay anyway. He started tidying up, organising their various notes into subjects and leaving them in neat piles on the table. He plucked the quill out of Bran’s hand and placed it down on top of the Potions notes. 

Once everything was in order he turned his attention to his boyfriend. He went round and gently eased the sleeping boy out of the chair and into his arms. Leaving Bran’s chair where it was, he adjusted Bran so he was securely in his arms before he turned to head towards the dormitories. He walked slowly to make sure he didn’t jostle Bran too much and accidentally wake him up. He kicked the door to the fourth year boys’ room lightly with his foot and was relieved when it swung back. Jojen walked over to the four-poster nearest the door and carefully deposited Bran down on top of the covers. He took off Bran’s shoes and tie and placed them down in their rightful places by his bed. He kissed Bran’s chocolate curls and went over to his own bed and took off the blanket his mother had made for him and took it over to tuck it in around his boyfriend. He made sure that the forest green blanket was tucked up right up to Bran’s chin and that his feet were covered as well. He bade him a quiet good night and gave him one last kiss to his forehead before Jojen went back to his own bed; quickly divesting himself of his uniform and changing into his sleepwear and gratefully curling into the warmth of the duvet. 


	6. Starter: Can I Have This Dance? I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peggy/Howard Yule Bull 
> 
> Part 1/3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unrelated to previous Stucky chapter although they do feature.  
> Does anyone know their actual ship name? I went with Starter but I'll change it if there is another one for them already
> 
> For Paige

“Peggy, I can still take you,” Steve said for what felt like the fifth time.

“No, you’re taking James,” Peggy reiterated.

“I could take you both?” he suggested.

Peggy sat up a little to admonish him. “Yes, I’m sure James would love that.” She laughed and snuggled back into Steve’s arms. It was late and the Gryffindor common room was lit by the golden flames in the fireplace. They were relaxing before bed after doing their rounds as Head Boy and Girl. Sometimes they liked having half an hour or so after to cuddle up together on a battered old couch and watch the flames dance, enjoying each other’s company before they went their separate ways for the night.

“Besides,” Peggy added as she kicked her shoes off and tucked her feet in, “as much as James and I get on I don’t really want to face him if you decide to slow dance with your ex all night and not your boyfriend. And I can’t deprive you of that.”

“Peg, you know I’ll dance with you both regardless.”

“Oh, I’m counting on it.” She sighed in the direction of the flames, staring at the thin column of breath that was lit by the fire.

“Is everyone else already taking someone?”

“Yes. Dum Dum managed to ask Dotie, I think he had a bet with Gabe to see who could ask their girl first. I haven’t actually heard who won but I know Gabe was acting like a goon last Friday so he probably asked Angie then.”

“Right. Well the Quidditch teams were all going to get dates.”

“Yet the Head Girl doesn’t Peg?”

“I know I was going to see if Angie or someone wanted to just go with me but she’s got Gabe now.”

“So you’d go with a friend instead of a ‘date’ date?” he asked.

“Yes. Steve, I’d go with pretty much whoever asks me,” she admitted. “Except you bright guy. I’m not double dating with the school’s power couple.”

“Peg, I understand that you’re getting desperate but you’re so awesome and smart and funny that I can’t understand why you haven’t got a date yet.”

“Gee thanks, Rogers, that helps. No one wants to go with me, simple as.”

“That’s bull. They’re either just intimidate by you or they assume you’ve got a date already.”

“And why would they think that, Steve?”

“Hey, I’m just trying to help here.”

“I know. Thank you.”

“You know, if you are just looking to go with a friend there is someone you could ask.”

“No”

“C’mon Peg, why not. And I know it’s not because you refuse to ask someone.”

“Because it’s him. I don’t want to be attached to the stigma of going to the dance with him, even if it is just as friends. Besides, he probably has a plethora of dates already.”

“Have you heard him bragging about it or parading the girl around?”

“I suppose that’s true. He has been suspiciously quiet on that front.”

“So what other excuse do you have?” Steve was smirking now and Peggy could hear it. “It’s Howard.”

“Not good enough, Peg. He’s your friend, your close friend, and as the rest of your friends have dates and you don’t want me to have two dates or go alone you have very few options left.”

“He won’t ask me.”

Steve smiled at her assent. “How do you know?”

“He would have done it by now.”

“You ask him then.”

“And be like the rest of his entourage? I do have some pride.”

“No of course not. But it’s you, it’ll be different.”

“Gee thanks, Steve, why didn’t I think of that?” Peggy retorted drily. 

“Just trust me Peg,” laughed Steve in reply.

“Fine. I’ll go ask Howard Stark then.”

Steve smiled into her hair and they sat in silence for a few more minutes watching the flickering fire. Almost reluctantly Peggy sat up out of Steve’s arms. “Good night,” she said kissing his cheek.

“Goodnight.”

Steve smiled into the fire one last time before he too got up to ascend the tower to the dormitories.

* 

Two days later found Peggy marching down the corridors, shoes tapping away against the stone floors.  It was just after lunch time and she knew she had to find Howard sooner rather than later. She was walking alone the third floor corridor when she heard him and started walking at a brisker pace. She caught up to the Slytherin boys just as they had rounded the next corner.

“Howard. James,” she said in lieu of greeting as she got to them.

“Margaret,” Bucky smirked at her. Howard just smirked.

“James, can I speak to Howard for a second?”

“Yes ma’am. I do believe there’s a particular Gryffindor who needs me to go and break some rules. Now if you’ll excuse me,” he said with a salute and a wink aimed at Peggy. Just as he was about to round the corner he turned back to catch her eye and mouthed ‘Go for it’ before he walked off. Peggy shook her head. Of course he knew. Steve never could keep anything from her best friend regardless of whether or not it was meant to be a secret.

“So my dear lady, what can I do for you?” Howard asked, redirecting her attention to him. He had a habit of doing hat but she didn’t know if he knew.

“I have a proposition for you.”

“Sounds intriguing my dear do go on.”

Peggy squared her shoulder slightly, her thumbs coming to rest right over the Gryffindor colours at the bottom of her jumper. “Who are you taking to the Yule Ball?”

Howard’s smirk grew wider. “Well no one has quite caught my fancy yet. Why do you ask?” he added coyly.

“I would like it if you could take me.”

“Well my dear, traditionally the man is the one who asks but then again you’ve never been one for tradition have you? Does this mean you’ve lifted the lifelong rule on dating me?” His eye twinkled and Peggy could feel herself begin to smile.

“Of course not.”

“Not even if I did it properly? Wine and dine and all that jazz.”

“Firstly, we’re seventeen.”

“Okay so skip the wine and go straight to fondue then?”

Her laugh bubbled out of her before she could stop it. “Let’s just go to the dance.”

“I don’t believe I’d said yes yet.” Before her smile could falter he continued. “But I would be honoured if you came to the dance with me.”

“That’s settled then,” Peggy said with a nod.

“Yes I suppose it is.” Howard awkwardly scratched at his neck.

“Oh thank you,” Peggy said as she gave him a quick hug. Howard took his awkward hand down to card in her hair quickly before she stepped back. “Well I must be off. I’ve got Potions downstairs and all that.  You’ll be picking me up from the tower at 7 sharp and I expect you to be presentable.” She walked off smartly down the corridor and Howard grinned at her back, smiling at how much of a force of nature she could be at times. 


	7. Yule Ball II

Steve was lounging on their favourite couch in the common room, vaguely supervising the younger pupils. He knew he was earlier than the time he’d agreed with Peggy but he preferred to wait in the common room than in the dorm. Idly he had started sketching,  a worn pencil tucked in between his fingers. 

“I might have thought I’d find you here.”

Steve turned at the sound of Peggy’s voice. She was standing a few meters behind him, almost directly in the centre of the common room. She had on a dress as bright as her house colours with her lips their signature match. The dress hung slightly off her shoulders and rested just above the peak of her shoes.

“Wow,” Steve breathed as he placed his sketchbook down and moved over to her. “You look beautiful.”

She blushed slightly, the dusty pink of her blush nearly covering it. 

“Thank you. You don’t look too bad yourself.”

“This old thing?” Steve did a mock gasp and quick twirl.

Just then a little first year came up to them. “Steve, Steve, I just saw your boyfriend outside!”

“Thank you, Phil.” Phil grinned at the use of his first name before running off to see his friends who were huddled around a chess board by the window.

“It looks like they’re on time for once.”

“Steve, he only said James was here.”

“Yes and Howard won’ stand you up. He’s not that kind of guy.” He paused for a second. “Besides, looking like that I think Bucky might even take you to the dance over me.” 

Peggy laughed. “Steve, he’s gay.”

“He’d still do it.”

There was an obnoxious rapping coming from the portrait so Steve offered Peggy his arm before they left the common room. 

Bucky stood up off the wall he’d been slouching on when the portrait opened and grinned at them. Peggy gave a big show of handing Steve over to Bucky. “Now, young man, I expect him back by one o’clock. I may be lenient but he is still head boy.”

“Yes ma’am.” Bucky threw her a quick salute before he leant in to kiss Steve’s cheek. “Hey babe,” he said as he slid his arm around Steve’s waist, drawing him closer.

Peggy raised an eyebrow at their dress clothes and met Bucky’s laugh when Steve blushed.

“So, old romantic, I’m guessing it was your idea to match dress robes with your boyfriend?”

“Of course it was Stevie’s idea. It was his ma who sent is a matching set after Steve sent her a letter. ‘Mama, I  love my handsome hunk of a  boyfriend so much and I want to show him off but he can’t pick out clothes and I need him to look sexy – at least on the same level as Peg because she’s a goddamn Queen- and I’m thinking navy and blue colours and I need…’ ”

“Okay that’s enough. That’s so not how it went.”

Bucky pouted. “Was I close?”

Before the most adorable domestic argument of recent weeks could break out in front of her, Howard Stark showed up, sauntering down the corridor. “I’m sorry I’m all of… five seconds late, ugh… but I couldn’t find the perfect flower for you.” Between his thumb and forefinger he held a single daisy.

“You went looking for a flower for me and found a daisy?” Peggy asked with another arch of her perfect eyebrows.

“No, of course not. You’re much more deserving of this,” and what that he muttered a few words under his breath and the tiny weed blossomed into a single scarlet rose. “I wanted to make sure it matched your dress and I didn’t know what colour you’d have so I thought this was the safest option.”

“Thank you,” Peggy gushed as she pressed a careful kiss to his cheek.

“Now, my lady would you like this rose to adorn your hair or would you rather I wore it and kept it safe for you?”

Peggy plucked the rose out of his fingers and sorted it into the button hold of his dress robes. “There. Now everyone will know who you actually took to the ball,” she murmured, mostly to herself.  Howard’s smile grew wider by a hair before he gave his arm, for Peggy to take and they made their way down to the Great Hall.

Bucky turned to Steve and pressed a hard kiss to his lips before they took the other’s hand and followed behind them. “Now who’s matching?” he whispered.

Steve grinned, for despite Peggy’s deep red dress with gold jewellery and Howard’s green robes with silver trim, they really did match each other pretty well. 


	8. Yule Ball III

The Great Hall was twinkling with the hundreds of fairy lights that had been strung out over the walls. The ceiling was a deep indigo sky with little stars shining brightly overhead.  The music was playing, vibrating through the Hall but sounding so soft to the ears of those dancing in the space cleared in the centre of the Hall. The saxophone drew the couples together and seemed to speak to them and instruct them on the dance moves they would otherwise forget. The Head Boy was dancing near the outskirts, under a particular cluster of stars, with his boyfriend’s head rested on his shoulder as they swayed. The Head Girl was a twirl of red as he partner dipped and spun her before cradling her in his arms again. She had a wide smile across her face and her usual seriousness had melted away the second she had stepped into the room and saw the twinkle of the stars. She had been looking at the sky with so much awe and exhilaration etched into her features that she had missed the similar look that her partner wore as he looked at her. 

Eventually the hours faded away, running away in a blur of music, food and dancing. Couples slowly retreated to dorms and to the grounds until there were only a handful of couples left dancing to the slow music. 

At half eleven Stark leaned down and whispered into Peggy’s ear. “Do you want to stay until the dance finishes or do you want to go for a midnight walk along the shoreline?” 

She lifted her head and smiled at him and moved her hands down from his neck to take one of his in hers.  They walked out of the dance and headed out the main doors to the fresh air outside. She breathed in the cold air and let go of Howard’s hands to twirl around a few times, arms thrown back, carefree and young. She stopped after a turn or four and stopped to face Howard who was watching her with an easy smile. He offered her his jacket and he slipped it over her shoulders before taking her hand again. They strolled naturally over to the lake and the breeze blew the salt air around them. 

“Thank you,” she said when they reached the edge of the water. Howard looked at her in surprise before she continued. “For going to the ball with me.”

“You were the one who asked me, remember?”

“I was kind of running out of options and Steve kind of forced me to.”

“I am irresistible like that.” He smirked and she shoved him lightly.

“If that’s the case then how come you didn’t have a date when I asked you last minute?”

“The truth is I’d had offers. Lots of offers. So many offers that even you’d be surprised.”

“Then why didn’t you take any of them?”

“Because I was holding out. Waiting.”

“Waiting for who?”

“For you.” He squeezed her hand from where it was still locked with his and gave her a full and proper smile.

“But how did you know I wouldn’t have a date already?”

“Ah,” he smiled sheepishly. “This is the real confession. I may have started a rumour that you were already going with me to try and ward everyone else off.”

“Oh.” She turned quiet for a minute before she had a thought. “Wait a minute. I didn’t get any dates because your amazing rumour got all the way round the school but didn’t reach my ears just so I had to resort to asking you out and you didn’t have to ask me out? That was your grand plan?”

“Yes, I’ll admit you may see that as a flaw but I saw that as personal protection.”

“What?”

“If I asked you I wouldn’t have known for sure if you’d had said yes. If you asked me I could be sure.”

“Howard, why was it so important to you that I said yes?”

“Because it’s you, Peg. You’re so incredible that I don’t know what I’d have done if you had decided to hold my reputation or whatever against me and use it as a reason to not go out with me.”

“Oh my dear,” she reached up with her free hand to cup his face. “That’s what this was all about?” She held his gaze when his eyes met hers and then they were kissing. It wasn’t quite fireworks but somewhere in the background Peggy was hazily aware of hearing the clock strike out twelve but she didn’t much care for it now. Howard kissed her with as much passion and hope that he’d put into his plan and she reciprocated for all she had. Above them the stars framed the sky and snow began to drift in light swirls, dancing around and around in twirls and spins before it finally came to rest, content that they’d made a show with the time they had. The stars twinkled away. 

**Author's Note:**

> I am accepting prompts for further ideas - leave them in the comments for now if you have any


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